Intercultural Mediator (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium – Brussels

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 60 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation.

Intercultural Mediator (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium – Brussels

CONTEXT

MSF’s mission in Belgium aims to address, through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, the health needs and key social determinants of the most vulnerable segments of the population, including migrants in transit and undocumented migrants, while proactively engaging in assessing main difficulties and promoting institutional change.

Other proposition: Hundreds of asylum seekers can’t access the Fedasil centers including health services. Considering the health needs of these vulnerable people, MSF has decided to launch a one-month intervention to provide medical and psychological care as well as health promotion activities to asylum seekers who cannot access the Fedasil centers and services.

MAIN PURPOSE

Supporting the communication and interaction between beneficiaries (asylum seekers) and MSF team, through addressing consequences of language barriers, socio-cultural differences and discrimination, following MSF protocols and procedures, to improve access to quality health care and other relevant services and providing MSF with an understanding of local socio-cultural determinants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Providing quality and culturally sensitive interpretation between the care providers and other MSF staff and the beneficiaries (trialogue) in his/her mother tongue (source language / target language). Supporting intercultural awareness, sensitiveness and clear communication between the parties.
• Assisting MSF team and beneficiaries in addressing negative consequences of socio-cultural differences, to support the therapeutic/social intervention through sharing with the team relevant aspects of the cultural background of the beneficiaries, acting as a cultural broker; Identifying and reporting barriers impairing fairness and equality in access to services.
• Accompanying patients to external services with relevant team members or alone if necessary.
• Reporting specific needs and demands of the beneficiaries, ensuring confidentiality at all times under the guidance of the health promoter, providing health promotion messages towards the group of beneficiaries, on topics such as COVID, scabies, bed bugs, etc.
• Following up these actions and adapting them if necessary, according to the overall strategy of the intervention and in coordination with the team.
• Guaranteeing confidentiality, medical/psychological secrecy, impartiality and neutrality. Declaring conflict of interest.
• Participating in meetings and trainings.
• Supporting translation of internal/external documents into the required languages.
• Supporting the creation of Health promotion materials in collaboration with the team.
• Translating documents from / to mission language into a local one upon request.
• Always showing respect towards beneficiaries, partners and MSF staff participating in discussions.
• Ensuring confidentiality of all translation as directed by the Mission/Project coordination team.
• Ensuring neutrality and accuracy when interpreting.
• Collecting feedback from beneficiaries on the implementation and quality of the activity.
• Respecting the security guidelines and protocols.

REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Essential secondary education/diploma
• Degree in social sciences, social communication or teaching is an asset
• Training in interpretation or intercultural mediation is an asset

Experience:

• Minimum two years’ experience in similar position, preferably with NGOs
• Previous experience in migration/refugee contexts and in medical mediation is an asset

Competencies:

• You have a real interest in the problems of asylum seekers and are sensitive to the issue of immigration
• Cultural awareness
• Behavioural flexibility
• Stress management
• Service orientation
• Teamwork and cooperation
• You are an active listener, empathetic, open to discussion and collaboration
• You can manage conflicts and the stress they can generate
• You have good organizational skills according to the responsibilities entrusted to you
• You are solution-oriented
• You work independently while respecting the imposed framework

Languages:

• Essentials: English or French + Dari + Pashto OR Pashto + Farsi
• Other languages are an asset

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: As soon as possible
• Location***: Brussels (Belgium)
• Contract type: Fixed-term contract (1 month) – 50%
• Belgian contract; Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid
• Meal Vouchers – Hospital Insurance (DKV) – Pension Plan – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments

*Applicants having the permanent right and/or valid work permit to work in the above-mentioned location are strongly invited to apply

Deadline for applications: 3 October 2022